Unreliable servers couldn’t rain on our perfect summer Sunday at New York Tour1’s first Pokémon Go Central Park Safari!
Pokémon Go trainers were out in force this Sunday, despite the impressive heat and the malicious attack on the game’s core servers. Our tour began at 4:00pm, at one of the hottest lure spots in Manhattan, Grand Army Plaza at 59th and 5th. The crowds were intense, some even rigging up solar panels to get that extra boost.
Our group numbered about 45 as we headed north into Central Park. We couldn’t catch anything with the servers down, so guides Linda and Adam split time explaining the rich history of the park and discussing what Pokémon could be found nearby.
Here’s just a few of our Pokémon Go hotspots:
Bethesda Terrace and Fountain
Bethesda Terrace is just one of the many elegant locales within Central Park. The iconic fountain, Angel of the Waters, was the first piece of public art commissioned from a female artist in NYC. The fountain commemorates the construction of the Croton Aqueduct, the first reliable supply of clean water in New York City. Without this critical artery, the city would have declined into disease and decay.
So, perhaps it’s fitting that this is a great location for finding your poison-type Pokémon!
Conservatory Water
This small pond dominated by tiny model sailboats is perhaps best known from the children’s film, Stuart Little. Originally intended by park designers Olmsted and Vaux as a small lily pond, the waters were eventually reshaped with a series of concrete curbs, allowing for the model boat regattas.
Our guide Adam says this is a great spot to find Bulbasaur.
The Great Lawn and Turtle Pond
One of the best-known spots in Central Park, on pleasant days the Great Lawn is packed with New Yorkers seeking escape from the city streets. Once a functioning reservoir, this wide open space has one of the most contentious histories in the park. Originally conceived as a rustic, untamed wilderness, the lawn was envisioned in the 1950’s as a populist recreational space. Now it contains a theater, playing fields, and Turtle Pond, home to some of the parks most beloved animal residents.
It should come as little surprise that the pond is a great place to find Squirtle. The Pokémon Go servers came back up as we arrived at this spot, so our Safari took a few moments to round up some common, and a few rare creatures in this scenic spot.
